SURFING : Machado’s Patience Pays Off

After less-than-optimum conditions greeted the men Friday at the Op Pro Surfing Championship at Huntington Beach, Rob Machado had a simple assessment.

“You’ve got to be patient,” he said. “That’s the key in this competition.”

Machado, 22, and some of the other top surfers in the world competed for the first time in Round 2 of the main event. But after 10 minutes of the 20-minute heat, Machado still had not caught a wave and was fourth and last in his heat. Only the first two competitors advance to today’s competition.

But the event’s defending champion, ranked sixth on the world tour, eventually came through.

Machado scored 6.0 (of a possible 10) on his first wave, then waited a few minutes before scoring consecutive 5.67s to move into second place.

Machado’s 7.17 ride with less than three minutes left moved him into the lead and into Round 3, beginning at 8:20 a.m. today.

A possible dream matchup between the top American woman, Lisa Andersen, and Kim Mearig, the two-time defending champion who came out of retirement for this event, was set up for this afternoon’s semifinals as both advanced.